1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of preparing a confection. More particularly, it relates to a method of preparing gasified candy. This invention especially relates to an improved method of preparing gasified candy which produces a more pronounced popping sensation when eaten.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Gasified candy is hard candy containing gas, such as carbon dioxide, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,012,893 of Kremzner and Mitchell, 3,985,909 and 3,985,910 of Kirkpatrick and 4,001,457 of Hegadorn which are incorporated herein by reference. Such a candy is made by a process which comprises melting crystalline sugar, contacting such sugar with gas at a pressure of 50 to 1,000 psig for a time sufficient to permit incorporation in said sugar of 0.5 to 15 cm.sup.3 of gas per gram of sugar, maintaining the temperature of said sugar during said absorption above the solidification temperature of the melted sugar, and cooling said sugar under pressure to produce a solid amorphous sugar containing the gas. Upon the release of the pressure, the solid gasified candy fractures into granules of assorted sizes.
The resultant product contains 1% to 4% water and most typically 2% to 3% water by weight of the total composition. (All figures expressed herein as a percentage are in terms of weight percent, unless specifically expressed to the contrary.) Lower levels of moisture are not practicably obtainable because the additional heat necessary to drive off the water causes the candy melt to caramelize or burn, resulting in an off-flavor, undesirable product. High moisture levels result in a soft, sticky matrix which rapidly liberates the entrapped gas and is thus not storage stable.
The gasified candy, when placed in the mouth, produces an entertaining but short-lived popping sensation. As the candy is wetted in the mouth the candy melts and the gas escapes. The tingling effect in the mouth is sensational but short.
When the solidified gasified candy is fractured by the release of pressure from the preparation vessel, the resultant granulated pieces are irregular, randomed-sized pieces having the appearance of pieces of broken glass or what might be termed sharp-faced pieces of gravel. The granulated pieces are sieved to provide the gasified candy in a range of particle sizes.
This present invention is an improvement over the processes disclosed in the four patents referred to above. U.S. Pat. No. 3,012,893 discloses a process wherein the sugar is maintained above its fusion temperature of 25.degree.-200.degree. C. (77.degree.-392.degree. F.) while the gas, at a pressure of 50-1000 psig, is contacted with the sugar melt for 2 to 6 minutes. In the examples which illustrate this process, mixtures of sugar are held at 150.degree. or 160.degree. C. (302.degree. or 320.degree. F.) while carbon dioxide at 600 psig is mixed into the liquid sugar for a short period of time, usually about six minutes. U.S. Pat. No. 3,985,909 does not specify the operating parameters of the process employed but U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,985,910 and 4,001,457 both exemplify the process utilizing a sugar melt maintained at 315.degree.-325.degree. F. while carbon dioxide at 600 psig is brought into contact with the sugar.
In producing gasified candy by a commercial process conducted in accordance with the disclosures of these patents, gasified candy is produced from a mixture of sucrose, lactose and corn starch dissolved in water and evaporated to a sugar melt containing about 2 to 3% water. Carbon dioxide is maintained at 625 to 675 psig in the pressure vessel containing the sugar melt while the vessel contents are mixed for 4 to 6 minutes. The sugar melt is held at about 295.degree. F. during the gasification. Following the gasification, the gasified melt is transferred to a water-jacketed cooling tube where it is held for 21/2-3 hours at a pressure which is 50 psi higher than the gasification pressure. At the end of the cooling cycle, the pressure is released from the cooling tube which causes the solidified gasified candy to shatter into multiple fragments. Analysis of an acceptable product produced by the described process shows that it contains observable gas bubbles having a diameter ranging from 5 to 225.mu..
As used herein "observable gas bubbles" means those gas bubbles which can be seen when the solidified gasified candy is observed through light microscopy. The observable bubbles are generally classified into large bubbles, i.e., those having a diameter of about 100.mu. and above and small bubbles, i.e., those having a diameter below about 100.mu.. The small bubbles are generally not considered to be significant since they do not contribute to the popping sensation.
A testing panel, specifically trained to determine the organoleptic quality of the gasified candy when eaten, has established a numerical scale to provide a quantitative evaluation of popping sensation produced by the commercial product. The numerical scale ranges from 0 to 14 with 0 representing no popping sensation and 14 representing the maximum popping sensation ever observed. This rating, term a "Pop" rating, is used to reject or accept batches of the commercial product. Gasified candy with a "Pop" rating of below 7 is generally rejected for producing an inadequate or inferior popping sensation. Products with a 7-9 "Pop" rating are generally acceptable since they produce a satisfactory popping effect while a gasified candy displaying a rating of 10-12 is considered outstanding since it produces a very pronounced popping sensation.
The object of this invention is to provide a gasified candy having a more pronounced popping sensation than that of the product produced commercially heretofore.
It is another object of this invention to reduce the number of unacceptable batches of gasified candy prepared commercially heretofore.